LOVE IN BLOOM
14 couples tie the knot during courthouse ceremonies
NORRISTOWN >> The romantic journey of Cheltenham couple Wislaine St. Phirin and Joade Mardy culminated in an exchange of wedding vows and a memorable kiss during a special event on Valentine’s Day.
“We are a very romantic couple, so we love the idea of getting married on Valentine’s Day,” Joade said on Friday as he and his bride joined hands, exchanged rings and looked deep into each other’s eyes during a ceremony at the Montgomery County Court House.
Judge Risa Vetri Ferman presided over the couple’s nuptials, one of 14 marriage ceremonies held at the courthouse during what has become an annual event when judges play Cupid for a day.
As Ferman sealed the couple’s union, Joade spontaneously swept Wislaine into his arms and bent down to kiss her while relatives and spectators applauded, obviously thrilled by the couple’s romantic gesture.
Wislaine and Joade met in New York several years ago around the time Wislaine was planning to move
“It’s one of the happiest things to do as a judge.”
- Montgomery County Judge Kelly C. Wall
to Pennsylvania. Despite trepidations about a long distance relationship, the couple decided to date and love bloomed.
“He swore he’d never leave New York and move to Pennsylvania. I said, ‘We’ll see.’ A year or so later, the next thing I knew he was packing up and moving to Pennsylvania, coming to join me,” Wislaine smiled.
“At first glance, I knew,” Joade said about their first meeting, adding moving to Pennsylvania wasn’t a difficult decision. “I couldn’t wait.”
The couple purchased a home in Cheltenham and their family grew to include children Jenna, 5, and Wesley, 7, who beamed with excitement during the wedding ceremony.
The couple was engaged for six years.
“I’ve tested him many times and he passed,” Wislaine joked. “So I said let’s make it official and what better day than Valentine’s Day, which is very romantic. I am the romantic at heart. It feels very wonderful.”
The couple plans to have a larger celebration at a later date.
“It’s one of the happiest things to do as a judge. We deal with a lot of sadness, with crimes and with families going through traumatic things and here’s a day when everybody is smiling,” said Judge Kelly C. Wall, emphasizing the significance of the wedding event, now in its fourth year. “It’s a very special day for everybody.”
Wall, who spent 10 years presiding in family court before recently moving to criminal court, organized the event this year and presided over the nuptials of Maryrita Mauro and Walter Napolitan of King of Prussia.
“I hope that you will each be a source of strength for each other. My hope for you is that your bond will be a strong foundation of the rest of your lives,” Wall addressed Mauro and Napolitan. “I hope that your marriage provides a sanctuary for each of you, protecting you from the challenges of the world around us and providing the comfort and support that you need to thrive together.”
The joy surrounding the weddings was a welcome distraction from usual courthouse business and caught the attention of courthouse employees who witnessed some of the ceremonies.
Many of the couples learned about the special program via a flyer that was posted in the county’s marriage license office.
Kevin and Kimberly (Long) Young, of Abington, who have been together for six years and engaged since May, beamed with joy after they exchanged vows in front of about two dozen friends and family, including Kimberly’s 12-year-old daughter, Kilah Woodridge.
“This day means everything to me,” said Kimberly, who carried a bouquet of purple flowers. “Every day is love but I’ll never forget this day.”
The couple is looking forward to the birth of their daughter in April.
“She’s kicking right now, so she’s happy,” Kimberly smiled.
“It was a great day. We have a great family,” Kevin said happily as relatives congratulated the couple with warm embraces.
A table filled with candies and desserts was arranged by the judges’ staff members, who used cameras and cellphones to snap photos of the happy couples, obviously enjoying being witnesses to the exchanges of love.
After being together for 37 years, Laura Walk and Mark Bickerdyke of Norristown decided Valentine’s Day would be a perfect time to tie the knot.
“Love is in the air and we won’t forget it,” said Laura, adding she had thought about marriage for years and “was so happy” when Bickerdyke, who works as an auto mechanic in Conshohocken, agreed it was time and took a break from work to exchange vows.
The couple didn’t tell their two children about their Valentine’s Day plans.
“How are you going to break the news to them?” the couple was asked by a reporter covering the event.
“Tell them to go buy the newspaper,” Laura joked, eliciting laughter from courtroom spectators.
“Every day is love but I’ll never forget this day.”
- Kimberly Young
“It’s a very special day for everybody.”
- Montgomery County Judge Kelly C. Wall
“We are a very romantic couple, so we love the idea of getting married on Valentine’s Day.”
- Joade Mardy